Topic: Starter issues
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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Former Member
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San Antonio, TX - USA
Joined: 8/18/2012
Posts: 53
Vette(s): Little on the rough side right now, with new paint and new interior it will be looking fine!
So yesterday after rebuilding the carburetor, replacing the spark plug wires, distributor cap, coil, and ignition module, i FINALLY got the engine running!! sounded great, took it around the block once and then let it just run for a while. I turned it off for a while and when i went to restart it i found that there was no fuel coming out of the carb, after going out to get a new fuel filter i came back to find that there suddenly was fuel coming out of the jets, but the starter would no long kick. i replaced the starter this morning and had it going for about 5 minutes then it quit and since then the starter has been sounding worse and worse, i just took the new one back and got another one but it is making the same loud clicking noise and is barely moving the fan. i know the engine isn't seized and i am at a complete lose as to what to do now...
http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/20201_20300/20243/5626/member_uploads/20201_20300/20243/562655_633142580793_114065104_n201332616294r.jpg55_633142580793_114065104_n201332616294r.jpg
I hope to one day be as knowledgeable as most the guys on here... but till then I'll have to just keep asking the questions with the obvious answers....
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Howdy,
I had a throttle body diaphragm rupture and that resulted in a lot of gas going into the intake manifold. Joel and Adam
thought (correctly) that the oil in the cylinders had been washed away. They called it cavitation. I had the same
thoughts on replacing the starter. The engine would only turn just a bit when I tried to start Baby.
I pulled the spark plugs - most but not all, and shot oil in the spark plug hole. I waited a bit and she turned over just fine.
After I replaced the ruptured diaphragm, she started right up and has run fine ever since. I was ready to replace
the starter and those guys caught me in the nick of time.
You might have something like that going on. Did raw gas ever get into the intake manifold?
Good luck and let us know how it comes out.
All the best from Tucson.
Keith
I had a throttle body diaphragm rupture and that resulted in a lot of gas going into the intake manifold. Joel and Adam
thought (correctly) that the oil in the cylinders had been washed away. They called it cavitation. I had the same
thoughts on replacing the starter. The engine would only turn just a bit when I tried to start Baby.
I pulled the spark plugs - most but not all, and shot oil in the spark plug hole. I waited a bit and she turned over just fine.
After I replaced the ruptured diaphragm, she started right up and has run fine ever since. I was ready to replace
the starter and those guys caught me in the nick of time.
You might have something like that going on. Did raw gas ever get into the intake manifold?
Good luck and let us know how it comes out.
All the best from Tucson.
Keith

Nobody ever waves when I'm driving the Explorer.
K Woody
Hi Jon,
The problem of the starter only clicking could just be a dead battery. You can try charging the battery or give it a jump-start with another car battery.

Joe T
Former Member
Send PM
San Antonio, TX - USA
Joined: 8/18/2012
Posts: 53
Vette(s): Little on the rough side right now, with new paint and new interior it will be looking fine!
Its definatly not the battery, i had it jumped up to my truck and it still wont start...
http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/20201_20300/20243/5626/member_uploads/20201_20300/20243/562655_633142580793_114065104_n201332616294r.jpg55_633142580793_114065104_n201332616294r.jpg
I hope to one day be as knowledgeable as most the guys on here... but till then I'll have to just keep asking the questions with the obvious answers....
Mynewold75vette said: So yesterday after rebuilding the carburetor, replacing the spark plug wires, distributor cap, coil, and ignition module, i FINALLY got the engine running!! sounded great, took it around the block once and then let it just run for a while. I turned it off for a while and when i went to restart it i found that there was no fuel coming out of the carb, after going out to get a new fuel filter i came back to find that there suddenly was fuel coming out of the jets, but the starter would no long kick. i replaced the starter this morning and had it going for about 5 minutes then it quit and since then the starter has been sounding worse and worse, i just took the new one back and got another one but it is making the same loud clicking noise and is barely moving the fan. i know the engine isn't seized and i am at a complete lose as to what to do now...
Some of my starters had spacers and if the spacer wasn't in the starter gear was too tight
against the flywheel.. could cause the same issues
1975 Corvette Coupe
My first Vette.....trying to fix stuff
My Project:
https://docs.google.com/folder/d/0B6uOAIjGf3cWejQ5TjNkcVRybGs/edit
Former Member
Send PM
San Antonio, TX - USA
Joined: 8/18/2012
Posts: 53
Vette(s): Little on the rough side right now, with new paint and new interior it will be looking fine!
i have tried it with the shims in and out of it...
http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/20201_20300/20243/5626/member_uploads/20201_20300/20243/562655_633142580793_114065104_n201332616294r.jpg55_633142580793_114065104_n201332616294r.jpg
I hope to one day be as knowledgeable as most the guys on here... but till then I'll have to just keep asking the questions with the obvious answers....

Moderator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
Can you turn the engine by hand at all?
Have you tried removing all of the sparkplugs and seeing if the starter will spin it that way?
If the engine is not locked down, the battery is hot, and you have replaced the starter, then there has to be a connection issue somewhere that is not allowing full battery voltage to the starter.
Have you tried removing all of the sparkplugs and seeing if the starter will spin it that way?
If the engine is not locked down, the battery is hot, and you have replaced the starter, then there has to be a connection issue somewhere that is not allowing full battery voltage to the starter.
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
Former Member
Send PM
San Antonio, TX - USA
Joined: 8/18/2012
Posts: 53
Vette(s): Little on the rough side right now, with new paint and new interior it will be looking fine!
FIGURED IT OUT! turns out that my battery was good the whole time, even after autozone tested it i went ahead and got a new battery anyways just to rule it out as a problem, and splurged for one with higher cranking amps. this did the trick! turns over like a beast now! and sadly it turns out that my fuel pump is shot... but one problem at a time! thanks for all the help everyone! i'm sure i'll be back on here boggled again in no time with this thing! she seems to be very cranky being woken up after a 4 year nap! lol
http://www.C3VR.com/member_uploads/20201_20300/20243/5626/member_uploads/20201_20300/20243/562655_633142580793_114065104_n201332616294r.jpg55_633142580793_114065104_n201332616294r.jpg
I hope to one day be as knowledgeable as most the guys on here... but till then I'll have to just keep asking the questions with the obvious answers....

Moderator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
Posts: 20214
Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas

Mynewold75vette said: Its definitely not the battery, i had it jumped up to my truck and it still wont start...
You sure it wasn't just a bad connection AT the battery? Either way, glad ya got it goin!!!

Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
My Link
(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
in Forum: C3 Electrical
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